Health Benefits of “Wonder of the World” Plant or Odaa opuo
Today, we shall examine the Health Benefits of the “Wonder of the World” Plant or Odaa opuo. It is a popular plant found in almost every home in Africa. I don’t know about other continents but Odaa opue or odaa opue is not strange in Nigeria.
What is Odaa Opuo or Odaa Opue?
Odaa Opuo or Odaa Opue is an Igbo name for a highly medicinal plant known as Resurrection Plant or Leaf of Life Plant. Botanically, it is called Bryophyllum pinnatum.
It inherits the name odaa opuo because any part of the plant that drops on the ground germinates within 12 hours. As in, if you pull a leaf from the plant and drop it on the ground when you return in the even, you will notice some sprouts or roots on the body of the leaf.
Can You eat Odaa Opuo leaf raw?
Yes, of course. The raw leaf is edible. It can be eaten raw. It can also be smoked or boiled and drink like green tea. I have seen many adults walk into my father’s compound to pluck raw odaa opuo leaf. Right there, I saw them put the leaves in their mouths and chewed them.
What happened to them? Why take the leaf raw? They were drunk. So, they had to eat the raw leaf of Odaa Opuo to stop the effect of the excess alcohol in their body.
In this post, we shall be discussing a very important plant. We want to talk about the Health Benefits of the “Wonder of the World” Plant or Odaa opuo.
Wonder of the World plant or odaa opuo is one of the popular herbal plants found around our surroundings. It is impossible to go into three or four households in Igbo land without seeing this plant.
This leaf or plant has so many names attributed to it due to how powerful it is. Some call it leaf of life aka Miracle plant. Other people refer to it as a resurrection plant.
It is popularly known as Odaa opuo in Igbo local dialect. This name is given to it due to its super-life replication. Whenever the leaf is dropped on the ground, it begins to germinate within a few hours. I am not making this claim about the “Wonder of World” plant because of what people say, I am writing out of the experience.
My family grows “Odaa Opuo” in our compound. Whenever a leaf falls down from the plant, within 12 hours, we would notice strings of root sprouting from the body of the leaf. That is actually how the name emanated.
Odaa opuo stands for ‘falling and regerminating” or “when it falls, it germinates”. Every part of the Wonder of the World plant has the tendency to regrow whenever it touches the soil, hence the name ‘Wonder of the World’.
“Wonder of the World” is also known as Miracle Leaf and Life Plant. Its botanical name is Bryophyllum pinnatum. According to Herbalgree.com, it is a succulent perennial herb, which grows up to 1m- 2m in height. The stems are thick, flexible, and short and the flowers are pink, white, or purple in colour.
Health Benefits of the “Wonder of the World or Odaa opuo”
Bryophyllum pinnatum plant is not planted just for fancy or for decorations. Families have it grown in their homes due to its medicinal importance.
We are going to mention all the uses and the health benefits of the Wonder of the World plant. Let’s start from my family:
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Anti-bacteria
Wonder of the world is used to cure bacteria infection on the skin. I remembered as a child, I used to have sour and itching foot caused by poisonous grass. However, we called this infection Earthworm (Idide). We assumed the infection is caused by an earthworm.
So, when this sore became worse, mother would pluck three or two leaves from the plant and smoked them on the fire. When it was softened by the smoke, the leaves will be squeezed. The juice gotten from the leaves were used to dab on our sore feet and toes.
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Treatment of Boil
Odaa opuo plant is also used to treat a boil. The same method for footsore are followed but in the case of boils, you don’t need to squeeze the leaves.
The smoked leaves are used to wrap on the face of the boil like gauze. This is will help to ease the pains and makes the boil open by itself.
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Hangover from Alcoholic
Wonder of the world plant is used to stop the effect of a hangover from alcohol. Or, when someone takes an excessive alcoholic drink, the leaves help to suppress the effect.
The person will just pluck a leaf and have a bite of it, raw.
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Treatment of Kidney Stone
The rhizome of this plant can be used as a preventive for kidney stones or for the treatment of this. In India, the leaves are eaten as a condiment and vegetable. Bryophyllum pinnatum is also given for the treatment of a cough, asthma, cold with candy sugar.
Other Health Benefits of “Wonder of the World” Plant or Odaa opuo
- It is used against dysentery.
- The plant root is used to treat high blood pressure.
- It is also used to prevent any kind of cardiac problem.
- Bryophyllum pinnatum is used for the treatment of fever.
- Rhizome powdered is used for the treatment of constipation.
- Bryophyllum pinnatum paste is used for the treatment of boil, wound, soar or cuts.
- The extract of Bryophyllum pinnatum is used for the treatment of roundworms (clotrimazole).
- The extract of the plant is used for the treatment of antipyretic activity.
- Using the juice of this as an eardrop heals the ear pain. It’s a natural remedy for ear pain.
- The paste of Pashan Bheda mixed with honey is used for the beginners teething trouble.
- Because of anti-diabetic property, it is used for the treatment of diabetics.
- The root of this plant is believed to protect the liver and proved useful for the treatment of hepatitis.
- It is proved diuretic.
So, it cures difficult urination. It helps clean the bladder and get rid of harmful toxins from the intestines.
- Because of its antioxidant property, the plant is used in a mixture of herbal green tea.
- It is used as one of the home remedies for piles (Hemorrhoids).
- The leaf juice is used for the treatment of stomach aches.
- The extract is used for the nourishment of the hair and treating gray hair.
- The leaves are used against intestinal disorder.
- The extract of this is anti-inflammatory and reduces inflammation.
- It is also used for the treatment of blood-mixed diarrhea.
- The paste is used against leucorrhoea.
- The fresh juice of Patharchur can be used to treat jaundice.
- It has importance in the treatment of certain types of cancer
- It may help with weight management.:
There is no scientific research on this very point to prove that Miracle Plant can help in weight loss. However, the plant does have some properties that might help in weight loss. For example, the plant has intestinal cleansing properties that can cleanse the body of waste matter, which can definitely contribute to weight loss.
- It is the natural treatment for kidney and gallbladder stones:
How to Prepare Wonder of the World Plant (odaa opuo) Tea
>> To make tea for Asthma, shortness of breath, boosting the immune system, and to cleanse the intestines of harmful bacteria.
- Add 5 fresh or dried leaves, with stems to 1 pint boiling water.
- Steep for 5-10 minutes.
- Strain and drink straight or add honey to taste. Makes 3 doses.
- Take this tea three times a day.
>> Juice for chest cold:
- Warm 3 leaves and juice them. This should yield 2-3 tablespoons of leaf juice.
- Add a pinch of sea salt.
- Take one tablespoon three times a day for as long as needed.
>> Cough mixture for cold, coughs and chest congestion:
- Warm 13 fresh leaves over a fire.
- Rub the leaves between your palms until they become juicy.
- Squeeze the juice into a small pot. This should yield at least 6-8 tablespoons of juice.
- Add the juice of 3 limes and 2 ounces, honey, to the pot.
- Simmer on a low flame for 5-7 minutes.
- Remove from flame and allow to cool. Store in a bottle.
- Take one tablespoonful every three hours for two weeks.
- Skip one week and repeat, if necessary.
>> Poultice for skin ulcer, sprains and insect stings:
- Grind 7 fresh leaves into a poultice.
- Apply the poultice evenly to the affected area.
- Apply a fresh poultice twice a day, morning and night, as often as needed.
The Sum on “Health Benefits of “Wonder of the World” Plant or Odaa opuo
Miracle Leaf and Life Plant which is botanically known as Bryophyllum pinnatum is indeed a miracle plant. The list of its medicinal potency is inexhaustible.
However, it has been warned that Wonder of the world should not be consumed during pregnancy as it poses danger to the mother and the unborn child.
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